Iran’s Supreme Leader has issied a chilling threat in a new bombshell message, while also taking a brutal swipe at Donald Trump and US troops. Mojtaba Khamenei commended his forces for resisting what he called American and Israeli “arrogance”, before threatening to bring about “new defeats”.
Iran’s Supreme Leader Khamenei also said his opponents’ “weakness and humiliation” had been exposed for all to see. Khamenei has not been seen or heard from since the war began. He replaced his father Ali Khamenei who was killed in Israeli-US strikes at the start of the conflict.
In a statement issued through an Iranian state news agency, Khamenei said his forces had “stood firm against America’s sinister schemes.”
He continued: “With its strong divine and popular support and in dense, fortified ranks, it (the army) stands shoulder to shoulder with other mujahideen of the armed forces against the two armies at the forefront of the front of kufr (disbelief) and arrogance, clashing with them hand-to-hand and exposing their weakness and humiliation to the eyes of the world; just as its drones strike like lightning against the American and Zionist criminals, its brave navy is ready to make the enemies taste the bitterness of new defeats.”
Mojtaba concluded his message by saying: “Greetings and blessings of the Almighty upon all the mujahideen of the Islamic Republic Army of Iran, from its emirs and commanders to its staff and silent, anonymous soldiers; and greetings and blessings of the Almighty upon all its self-sacrificing volunteers and wounded veterans; and his special mercy upon the honorable families of all the martyrs of the imposed war waged by America and the Zionist regime against the great nation of Iran. And peace be upon you, and the mercy and blessings of Allah.”
This comes just hours after Iran swiftly reversed course on reopening the Strait of Hormuz, reimposing restrictions on the critical waterway after the US said the move would not end its blockade.
The dramatic U-turn from Iran is sure to infuriate Donald Trump. The country’s joint military command said on Saturday that “control of the Strait of Hormuz has returned to its previous state … under strict management and control of the armed forces.”